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A petition campaigning for the legalisation of cannabis in Britain already has nearly half of the signatures needed to trigger a serious government discussion on the issue.

The petition had garnered just over 90,000 seals of approval, and once it reaches 100,000, parliament will be required to allocate time for a debate.

The news comes after Durham's Police and Crime Commissioner said this week that his officers were no longer targeting people growing marijuana for personal consumption.

If the UK was to legalise the drug, then it would be following the lead of a number of countries that have a much more relaxed attitude towards smoking pot.

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It is well known that some cafes in the Netherlands can sell cannabis products, and possession of small quantities is not considered an offence. In Belgium, while it is still considered illegal, police tend only to take the name of anyone caught in possession, rather than prosecuting.

In the US, Oregon recently became the fourth state to legalise recreational marijuana, following Alaska, Colorado and Washington, along with the capital, Washington DC. More than 20 others allow it for medicinal purposes.

Right now in the UK, cannabis is a class B drug, and carries a sentence of up to 14 years in prison for supply or production.

If you want to sign the petition, you can do so here.